After getting permission from the landlord, I'm pinning my shitty A4, hand-drawn poster to the pub wall and asking you all to join me, every week, for an ongoing discussion.

The thing that will form the core of that discussion will be the research I didn't put into my debut novel. Yes, yes, this is a form of shilling - apologies for those of you that don't like honesty - but it is a particularly Whitechaplian form.

My debut novel, Purefinder, is set in 1858 in London and over the course of the ongoing discussion themes will rear their ugly heads.

Until such a time, I want you to come up with the grossest, darkest, and most delectable ideas of what we'd do with a novel set in 1858 and the snippets that pop up here every Wednesday and Sunday. [Full disclosure, you can look at my blog to find out what I've hinted at but you won't find the whole truth - only here on Whitechapel will that eventually disgust you enough to look away from your screens. Of course, I can't give the whole book away so here too, there'll remain an element of the unseen.]

On the front Ankh-ef-en-Khonsu is as a priest of Montu can be seen; he is presenting offerings to the falcon-headed god Re-Harakhty ("Re-Horus of the Two Horizons"), a synchronistic form of the gods Ra and Horus, who is seated on a throne. The symbol of the west, the place of the Dead, is seen behind Re-Harakhty. Above the figures is a depiction of Nut, the sky goddess who stretches from horizon to horizon. Directly beneath her is the Winged Solar Disk, Horus of Behdet.

The artefact goes on to become a central element in the Thelemic teachings of Aleister Crowley. In 1904, Crowley and his scarlet mistress, Rose, visit the Cairo Museum, and recognise the god depicted as Horus, who spoke to Rose through Aiwass. The catalogue number of the item, at the time, was 666.

Horus the Sky God, God of War and Hunting. Ra the Sun God, traveller in the Underworld, creator of the universe. Hatsheput, the empress, who helped build the wealth of Egypt by forging trade routes, sending out expeditionary forces.

I mention this merely in passing. In 1858 in London, Crowley was still unborn. Eliphas Levi, who Crowley claimed to be a reincarnation of, had visited London 5 years previously to perform a powerful magickal ritual. Occultism and spiritualism were gaining in popularity in London. People were listening to Mendelssohn. Darwin was about to unveil his theory of natural selection.

A fascinating time to set a story, Ben. I'll be reading the blog and these discussions with interest. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346394#Comment_346394
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346394#Comment_346394Sun, 06 Jan 2013 07:22:09 -0600Ben GwalchmaiI didn't put much Egyptology or big discoveries in my research as I was trying to focus on my Purefinder's life and what he and his lot would know but I read through a year's worth of newspapers stretching over that period.

There was much that happened in 1858 that seems to have happened 150 years before and again 150 years after - were I more inclined to write fantasy or even sci-fi, I could have focused on it as a nexus point in time. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346396#Comment_346396
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346396#Comment_346396Sun, 06 Jan 2013 08:05:28 -0600texturePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346399#Comment_346399
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346399#Comment_346399Sun, 06 Jan 2013 08:23:51 -0600OddcultPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346436#Comment_346436
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346436#Comment_346436Mon, 07 Jan 2013 05:27:44 -0600texturePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346438#Comment_346438
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346438#Comment_346438Mon, 07 Jan 2013 07:03:47 -0600Oddcult
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Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346439#Comment_346439
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346439#Comment_346439Mon, 07 Jan 2013 07:19:14 -0600oldhat

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Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346441#Comment_346441
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346441#Comment_346441Mon, 07 Jan 2013 07:37:43 -0600texturePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346445#Comment_346445
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346445#Comment_346445Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:47:37 -0600oldhatThe other is a 17th century woodcut of an alehouse. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346457#Comment_346457
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346457#Comment_346457Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:52:26 -0600Ben GwalchmaiI like the fact that a midget is bringing them beer: as I'm tired, I can't remember if I included a midget in Purefinder but now I really hope I did.

You all have until Tuesday to tell me what the skeleton poker boys are up to. All responses welcome: tomorrow night [if I've internet in my new place] I'll let you know what I was going to do with it but didn't. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346461#Comment_346461
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346461#Comment_346461Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:29:24 -0600oldhatPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346462#Comment_346462
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346462#Comment_346462Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:47:15 -0600James CunninghamPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346552#Comment_346552
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346552#Comment_346552Wed, 09 Jan 2013 03:41:39 -0600Ben GwalchmaiI'll update when I get to a wifi spot later and I'm not typing on my phone.

So: the previous image was originally intended to begin as a poker game they saw in a window where the skeleton was veiled but the veil slipped and the men soon began to covet the skeletons cards & bones, to rip off its arms, and to fuck its ribs. Covetous.

And I'd intended it to be one of a collection of rare finds that my main character had even though you wouldn't expect someone of his class to have. Unfortunately, I realized that...yeah, he wouldn't have. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346910#Comment_346910
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346910#Comment_346910Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:14:11 -0600Ben Gwalchmai

What up with that face? ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346915#Comment_346915
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346915#Comment_346915Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:21:52 -0600taphead
is the hat. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346932#Comment_346932
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346932#Comment_346932Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:20:03 -0600FishelleAnyway, that's clearly not damage to the photograph, but rather some sort of electric energy expelling from her face. Maybe there's an antenna under the hat. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346937#Comment_346937
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346937#Comment_346937Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:35:11 -0600Steve ToasePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346945#Comment_346945
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346945#Comment_346945Thu, 17 Jan 2013 04:20:54 -0600texturePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346947#Comment_346947
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346947#Comment_346947Thu, 17 Jan 2013 04:25:06 -0600Steve ToasePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346953#Comment_346953
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346953#Comment_346953Thu, 17 Jan 2013 07:19:57 -0600texturePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346960#Comment_346960
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=346960#Comment_346960Thu, 17 Jan 2013 08:40:11 -0600Ben GwalchmaiPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347114#Comment_347114
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347114#Comment_347114Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:56:28 -0600Ben GwalchmaiInitially I had plans for my protagonist's wife to feature more in the book and, in those sections, for her to have a penchant for wearing traditional Welsh garb. The hat here has to be a pisstake [even though traditional garb is pretty close] so I'd intended for one of the scenes that bonded them together was a playful hat swapping and clothes trying in a clothes/tailoring shop that they knew they couldn't afford. They would have pretended to be well off on entering, only to try several things on and pose for each other then tell the clerk that it wasn't quite right and exuent.

Unfortunately, this bit proved superfluous to the action of the book and distracted too much from the emotional currents. Ah well - we cut our lovies. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347116#Comment_347116
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347116#Comment_347116Sun, 20 Jan 2013 10:08:56 -0600Ben GwalchmaiThis girl, that look, your jaw.

Let it drop onto the keyboard and give me your fantasies. [Flash-slashfic welcome for this one and the monkey one.] ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347140#Comment_347140
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347140#Comment_347140Mon, 21 Jan 2013 05:45:34 -0600texturePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347141#Comment_347141
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347141#Comment_347141Mon, 21 Jan 2013 06:00:57 -0600Steve ToasePurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347145#Comment_347145
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347145#Comment_347145Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:32:47 -0600Ben Gwalchmai
but not as much as she loves opium. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347287#Comment_347287
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347287#Comment_347287Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:27:20 -0600Ben GwalchmaiOK, well, our Fashionable Beauty might well have been Giuseppina Ronzi de Begnis, an opera singer and I'd originally intended a large opera-flecked parallel strain of narrative that saw a fashionable beauty rise through the singer ranks to starlet status. This was to emphasize how certain class ideals put a decadent culture ahead of others for the sake of tradition but...it would have been too much for such a beautifully simple book. It would have made the whole narrative too Joycean and too distracting. Ho hum, we cut our loves. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347288#Comment_347288
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347288#Comment_347288Thu, 24 Jan 2013 10:32:50 -0600Ben GwalchmaiBallyhoo? ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347413#Comment_347413
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347413#Comment_347413Sun, 27 Jan 2013 08:56:14 -0600Ben Gwalchmai
Sketches in London, by James Grant, London, published in 1850.

An excellent scene, I think: depicting a sometimes typical invasion of the stage but it's the details that count - look at where the audience's hands are.

As I've said before, I'd considered a parallel storyline in an opera but I'd also considered having my two troupe to the theatre - unfortunately, I thought it'd make it too melodramatic. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347414#Comment_347414
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347414#Comment_347414Sun, 27 Jan 2013 09:00:54 -0600Ben Gwalchmai
my blog, here's some good stuff for ya:

“For Children Three Years Old,” from Lessons for Children by Anna Laetitia Barbauld, Philadelphia, 1818: There was a naughty boy; I do not know what his name was, but it was not Charles, nor George, nor Arthur, for those are all very pretty names: but there was a robin came in at his window one very cold morning — shiver — shiver; and its poor little heart was almost frozen to death. And he would not give it the least crumb of bread in the world, but pulled it about by the tail and hurt it sadly, and it died. Now a little while after, the naughty boy’s papa and mamma went away and left him, and then he could get no victuals at all, for you know he could not take care of himself. So he went about to every body — Pray give me something to eat, I am very hungry. And every body said, No, we shall give you none, for we do not love cruel, naughty boys. So he went about from one place to another, till at last he got into a thick wood of trees; for he did not know how to find his way any where; and then it grew dark night. So he sat down and cried sadly; and he could not get out of the wood; and I believe the bears came and ate him up in the wood, for I never heard any thing about him afterwards. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347715#Comment_347715
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347715#Comment_347715Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:50:05 -0600Ben GwalchmaiOk - well, that there AmeriCAN story was a possible a tale my antagonist would tell but, it not fitting with character, didn't. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347716#Comment_347716
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347716#Comment_347716Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:51:41 -0600Ben Gwalchmai

Foreground the chaos.Let the shadow of peace glimmer in the end, at the back – in the hidden.

Forwhy? ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347797#Comment_347797
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347797#Comment_347797Sun, 03 Feb 2013 12:25:50 -0600Ben GwalchmaiThat torrent was to be one moment of many in a look at the nature of photography and its counterpart, illustration. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347799#Comment_347799
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=347799#Comment_347799Sun, 03 Feb 2013 12:30:48 -0600Ben Gwalchmai

{ETA: I may have been drunk and lazy last night - apologies for the lack of proper content. Next time, Gadget. Next time.} ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348164#Comment_348164
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348164#Comment_348164Sun, 10 Feb 2013 08:41:32 -0600Ben GwalchmaiPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348165#Comment_348165
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348165#Comment_348165Sun, 10 Feb 2013 08:56:46 -0600Ben Gwalchmai ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348188#Comment_348188
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348188#Comment_348188Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:12:40 -0600Fishelle
It reminds me of a list I saw on one of those websites that do nothing but list things, with the most surreal photographs taken by google trucks for the street view on google maps. One of them had a lion outside a convenience store. I glanced at a couple of comments to find that people in the neighborhood could explain that one. The store just has a stuffed lion and likes to put it up from time to time to freak people out a bit.So I'm thinking that's just a stuffed toy the girl likes to have with her all the time, like my 4 year old niece and her stuffed horse named Pink. It's just a bit bigger than the usual toy. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348220#Comment_348220
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348220#Comment_348220Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:23:06 -0600Ben GwalchmaiPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348221#Comment_348221
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348221#Comment_348221Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:33:55 -0600taphead
artist. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348223#Comment_348223
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348223#Comment_348223Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:46:52 -0600Ben Gwalchmai"Good morning, sir. I'd like a pound of your finest lady stuffing.""I'll give your lady a stuffing." ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348584#Comment_348584
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348584#Comment_348584Sun, 17 Feb 2013 09:47:16 -0600Ben GwalchmaiPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348585#Comment_348585
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348585#Comment_348585Sun, 17 Feb 2013 09:58:32 -0600Ben Gwalchmai ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348917#Comment_348917
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348917#Comment_348917Sun, 24 Feb 2013 11:14:24 -0600Ben GwalchmaiPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348919#Comment_348919
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=348919#Comment_348919Sun, 24 Feb 2013 11:24:58 -0600Ben Gwalchmai

Yeah, the 19th Century French did too. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=349069#Comment_349069
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=349069#Comment_349069Tue, 26 Feb 2013 04:13:43 -0600ScrymgeourPurefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=349133#Comment_349133
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=349133#Comment_349133Wed, 27 Feb 2013 01:28:25 -0600Ben GwalchmaiThis piece is from Un autre monde (another world), written and illustrated by Jean-Jacques Grandville in 1844 [and I found them at archive.org] whereas the figure of the Golliwog only really came around in the late 19th century - it's possible Moore cribbed these both and threw them together.

It's been roughly 3 years since I read The Black Dossier. Thanks for highlighting the connection, good Scrymgeour. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=349469#Comment_349469
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=349469#Comment_349469Sun, 03 Mar 2013 16:13:18 -0600Scrymgeour
My main knowledge of the Golly comes from the massive one that used to adorn a factory in my home town ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=349803#Comment_349803
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=349803#Comment_349803Sun, 10 Mar 2013 14:29:42 -0500Ben GwalchmaiThose dolls were to be part of a beauuuuutiful stage show that my protagonist was forced to go to that then followed him out onto the streets but it all got a bit ridiculous and an entourage woulda spoiled the Dantean two wanderers feel. So there. Nuh.

Those three were to be some of the books my main boy had read - I was hoping he'd be a little smarter than your average working-class immigrant but then I realized that no, there's no need to make him likable to intellectuals. It's their job to engage with the character. ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=353808#Comment_353808
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=353808#Comment_353808Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:24:44 -0500Ben GwalchmaiThe first looked like this:Not great, let's be honest.

So I asked the publisher's designer to do a second.Not much better.

So I thought, 'Fuck it. I'll get a different designer.'I was blown away - my publisher have been too.But this is only the third design... :) ]]>
Purefinder - finding purity in filthhttp://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=358466#Comment_358466
http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10954&Focus=358466#Comment_358466Sat, 21 Sep 2013 10:32:26 -0500Ben Gwalchmai
Purefinder!

Me for a bit, 200 year old drinking songs, books for sale and then more signings and Christmassings.Then, of course, booze and decrepitude for me as I fall into a I've-been-bought-too-many-wonderful-drinks coma.